Tag Archives: thankfulness

Nov 20 2012

this went thru my mind

 

Equality & freedom: A Black Intellectual Writes to Thomas Jefferson by Bobby Valentine

On July 4, 1776 explosive words from Thomas Jefferson captured the hearts of men and women, white and black, in the British Colonies in America.  Those words read, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ … The letter of Benjamin Banneker to Thomas Jefferson on August 19, 1791 was laden with potential to renew the promise of the American Revolution. … Perhaps Banneker should be in the Canon of American Saints as much – perhaps more – than Thomas Jefferson.”

Faith & politics: The Real ‘Evangelical Disaster’ by Rachel Held Evans

“The great evangelical disaster is that evangelicalism has become synonymous with Republicanism rather than the gospel of Jesus Christ. This happened long before the 2012 presidential election. It happened when we turned the Bible into a conservative position paper and Jesus into a flag pin. “

Generosity: Family Christian Stores Buys Itself, Pledges to Give 100% of Profits to Widows and Orphans

“Under the new ownership, Family Christian’s pledge is to contribute 100% of its profits to Christian causes and, specifically, ministries serving widows and orphans both in the USA and abroad.”

Thanksgiving: * An American Thanksgiving from a Global Perspective by Dan Bouchelle; * Tips for Teaching Your Children Thanksgiving! by Mark Woodward

* “I have traveled to all six populated continents and preached for churches in each place. I spend a lot of time listening to church leaders and disciple-makers describe the realities they face in their countries with all the joys and struggles that entails. I also have gotten to witness first hand the living conditions, social realities, political climates, and spiritual environments of many different parts of the globe. With that as the backdrop to my current life, I enter into this Thanksgiving season differently than I once did.”

* “If you want your children to be thankful—grateful—adults, you have a great opportunity to work on them during Thanksgiving.  This holiday can be so much more than Indians and pilgrims or eating and football!  We Christians have a great opportunity to re-capture the holiday from the secularists and materialists and instill in our children a grateful spirit rather than an entitled one!”

Nov 19 2012

word for the weak: week forty-seven

 

The theme connecting this week’s Scripture reading in MoSt Church‘s Uncommon Truth for Common People project is thankfulness. Following is this week’s reading schedule:

• Mon., Nov. 19 – Psalm 147.1-11; Revelation 7.9-8.1
• Tues., Nov. 20 – Psalm 136
• Wed., Nov. 21 – 1 Corinthians 15.50-58; Ephesians 2.1-10
• Thur., Nov. 22 – Psalm 42; Philippians 4.4-9
• Fri., Nov. 23 – Psalm 100.1-5; 118.1-29

This week’s memory verse is Psalm 136.1: “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good.”

Sep 17 2012

word for the weak: week thirty-eight

 

This week’s theme in MoSt’s Church‘s 2012 church-wide Bible reading project – the Uncommon Truth for Common People project – is gratitude. With rare exception, each week’s theme and Scriptures are discussed in MoSt Church’s Wednesday night auditorium class at 7:00 p.m.

• Mon., Sept. 17 – Psalm 92,146

• Tues., Sept. 18 – Luke 7.26-50

• Wed., Sept. 19 – Deuteronomy 8.1-20

• Thur., Sept. 20 – Psalm 40; Lamentations 3.22-26

• Fri., Sept. 21 – Philippians 4.10-13; 1 Timothy 6.3-10; Hebrews 13.5-6

This week’s memory verse is Luke 7.47: “… her many sins have been forgiven; so she has shown great love. The one who is forgiven little loves little.”

Aug 23 2012

7 things you can do to bless those whose life is a beach

 

Thank God. Such a time in life is a gift and should be treated as such. It could be a time of rest from difficult times past. It could be a time for preparation for more trying times ahead. In either case, thank God for your friend’s blessing. They need it, as you do, too.

Rejoice with them. Inquire as to the good things you see God bringing into their life. Take the time to genuinely, deeply, and repeatedly listen to their stories of the times of refreshing. In doing so, you will not only heighten their joy, but will open the door to greater light into your own life.

Spread the joy around. This world isn’t short on dark and difficult news on a daily basis. Share the good things they share with you that are shareable with others. Deliberately set out to fill the world with some of the good news you know. You just don’t know whose life you might brighten as a result and how powerful that light might be to them.

Don’t succumb to the green monster. No one ever plans to become jealous or green with envy, but turning green starts with nurturing little, seemingly harmless questions. “Why can’t things be for me the way it is for them?” Show such thoughts no mercy. Pull them up by the roots, roots that could spread to others and work real harm.

Grow in gratitude. Sometimes it takes seeing someone else being blessed to awaken us to our own blessings. Let this time of overhearing others count their blessings prompt you to do the same. You will be made a better person in so doing and will, as a result, bless all you know.

Call attention to the future. Your friend will certainly recall how much more pleasant these times are now than some of those past, but you can bless them a bit now by reminding them of what is to be. Blessings we enjoy now are tiny glimpses into the infinitely greater jubilation and glory of being in God’s presence forever, nothing hindering. Such a reminder will likely stir up all the more gratitude and depth of appreciation for the good times now as well as the astounding times to come.

Continue to pray for them. Our natural tendency is to pray in, and perhaps even only in, the tough times. We storm heaven’s gates and petition God to bless. While God certainly encourages us to make request of him, how much more fitting it is that we’re even more passionate about rushing to his throne to praise him for who he is and his goodness at all times! By praying in times of plenty, not merely in times of need, you’ll grow in your awareness and appreciation of God, coming to love him and adore him all the more. Such can’t help but be contagious.